Melee Weapons, Ranged Weapons, Special Issue Wargear, Or Relics May Purchase a Zephyr Command Module As a Dedicated Transport
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Codex: Ornthon v 1.0 A Galaxy Lost The story of the Ornthon race did not begin in this galaxy. Once they were native to a galaxy far away. But that would all come to change with the arrival of a menace from the stars. Scattered like chaff upon the wind, the Ornthon Heirs to a Galaxy race struggles to survive far from their true As far back as they have record, the Ornthon home. New aeries grow upon worlds here and race has always been filled with ambition. From there across the galaxy as survivors struggle to the first time they reached out to the stars, they rebuild glory now lost. The voices of ancestors knew themselves to be destined for greatness. cry out for vengeance even as voices from the This attitude permeates the entire racial deep whisper dreams of power. The Ornthon culture, and for a long time would seem to be race is in a fight for both survival in the galaxy, truth. and for control of a rapidly dividing culture. As they struck out into the larger galaxy the Once, things were not so. In time past and far race spread with a zeal that was unmatched by away the Ornthon knew peace and prosperity. their neighbors. The stories tell of battles, wars, Their race was first among equals and oversaw treaties, and assimilation. Heroes arose and fell vast swathes of the stars. In that time their race as an empire was forged. By the time the other was not divided, but acted as one for the great races had come risen up the Ornthon had betterment of all. They delved into the secrets already claimed a large chunk of the galaxy and of reality and physics, and along with other led a budding alliance. For a time it seemed as powerful races they created amazing works in though war would overtake the stars as border space as a testament to their knowledge and skirmishes and proxy wars sprang up. However power. But in the end, they found themselves ill the Ornthon were ambitious, not bloodthirsty. prepared for the doom that would befall them. All their knowledge and power proved to be With time, a final treaty was drawn up and the inadequate when faced with the great hunger galaxy found itself at peace. The Ornthon had of from the stars. course managed to secure themselves a stronger position than the other races in the new ruling government. However, they now threw their ambition into great feats of discovery and engineering instead of warfare. For a time the various races knew only peace and prosperity. The Ornthon with their brother races created lush worlds from deserts, harnessed the power of the physical world itself, and created many great superstructures among the stars. Others took up architecture and holopainting to Voices of the Ancestors express the emotions of entire races. While the Ornthon do not believe in an afterlife, they do partake in a form of ancestor worship. With roots in tribal practice, it eventually Their greatest work was the Apodrapha, a became an expression of the destiny the megastructure in the center of civilized space Ornthon foresaw for themselves and a way to that housed their government. Over centuries remember great heroes of the past. The phrase of work from their greatest minds, the huge “Voices of the Ancestors” has great significance sphere was constructed around the chosen star, in Ornthon culture as a reminder of the creating a massive artificial structure. successes of the past, the solidarity of the race, and lessons to be learned. Many believe strongly in tracing back their ancestry and Power of the Biomancers honoring the lives of their ancestors. Although Perhaps one of the most important factors in their society has no formalized caste system, the rise to power of the Ornthon was due to many see it as important to follow in the steps their peculiar science of Biomancy. Although of those who came before them. Thus many the race put much effort into improving their great houses have become known for particular material sciences, moving from solid projectiles talents. This belief also leads to a great many to pure energy and eventually even wresting formalized grudges between ancestors that survive on for many generations, often creating control over gravity itself, they also poured complex political environments. their greatest minds into the realm of engineered biology. From micro to macro, this mix of biomancy and technology gave the Ornthon a distinct These Biomancers as they came to be known advantage. Space ships ate waste to produce unlocked the secrets of modifying and energy, while symbiotic implants gave literal empowering organic tissue. This came not only eyes in the back of your head. Many took to in the form of working to perfect their race, but living in massive living cities and orbiting also in many other advances. Many sub-species habitats known as aeries that integrated fully were created, some with slight variances for with their lives. Their greatest accomplishment, specific tasks while others had bodies that the Apodrapha was a final miracle of this wildly varied from the base form. However, technology. An incomprehensibly vast sphere from ancient decree to this day all Ornthon that encompassed part of a star system, the accept the different off-shoots as all being Apodrapha was a prototype of life to come. It equal. was the center of culture and government, while also housing the hub of their galactic Ornthon biomancy was also important them in transport system. creating many technological advances. Engineered neural cells created powerful Although not originally an Ornthon technology, computers, specially designed organs offered the great Displacement Engines could shoot new options for substems like sensors, and transports through the Deep from one Engine biological power generation revolutionized the to another, allowing incredible speed over way the races thought about energy. Soon traditional sleeper ships, with the downside of integration between material science and biomancy became the standard. only being able to transport for one engine to another with any accuracy. However the victory celebration was short lived. In their triumph they had still not yet Hunger from the stars realized the true extent of their foe. When an Unbeknownst to the races of the galaxy even larger force hit the opposite side of the however, a darkness was gathering in the void galaxy, it annihilated whole worlds before the between stars. In their triumph in unification, military forces could be brought to bear against they began to chase new pursuits. With no need this new threat. Even as they prepared to for a large standing military, most of their assault these new forces, reports were received forces were disbanded and their hardware re- of two smaller attacks in completely different purposed. When the threat from beyond the areas of the galaxy. edge of the galaxy appeared, they were woefully un-prepared. While the military prepared to launch into a series of counter-attacks, the finest scientific The first victims went unnoticed. Small colonies minds attempted to unravel the mystery of at the edge of known space went dark. Even their foe. It quickly became obvious that all the when the first larger colonies were destroyed, attacks were by different elements of the same few alarms were raised. Over time rumors of force, one that would come to be known as the mutants infecting the outer colonies arose. Tyranids. However, no means of Confusing reigned, with most ignoring the signs communication could be raised with them. They and some even wondering if it was some new came in many forms with strange powers form of biomancy from the Ornthon or a new unfamiliar to the researchers. Although they races rising up. also used organic replacements for technology, their strange biomorphs were just as alien to However, when the first full force of the the Ornthon Biomancers as to everyone else. invasion hit disastrously near the Ornthon home world, the face of their foe sent shocks of The races of the galaxy put up a strong fight. terror through the galaxy. No one was prepared New technology and material rolled out daily to for the fury and vastness of their foe.The the military as new recruits were raised from Tyranids had arrived to feed. every world. Great sacrifices were made, and great heroes arose. However, it wasn’t enough. The governing body immediately ordered an emergency mobilization of all military forces. Last Stand Untested troops armed with mothballed The war was not without its victories. On weapons were formed up and shot off to Bblagts a strike force took out an insidious reinforce the Ornthon home world. The bio- infestation, saving a critical Engine in the mechanical weaponry of the military proved Displacement network. Elsewhere at S’lussesu a effective against the Tyranids, but at the same experimental grav-bomb collapsed the core of a time seemed to draw their hunger. Many troops Tyranid fleet menacing the Uruush with died to the implacable foe, but eventually the extinction. weight of all the races proved enough to press them back. However, it was too little and too late. They There would of course be no Engine on the were fighting a foe too numerous, and with a other side to aim towards or catch them, and head start. Although military production was the distance was too far for a normal Engine, ramped up, it couldn’t outpace the Tyranid but the researchers reasoned they could threat. Even worse, the alien beasts seemed to repurpose the massive hub Engine at the center be able to adapt to counter their tactics.